


Who Needs to Know All That When I have Them?

by WhirlyBird70



Category: One Piece
Genre: Fluff, Gen, They love their captain so much, gen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2020-03-01 04:41:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18793204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhirlyBird70/pseuds/WhirlyBird70
Summary: The definition of Monkey D. Luffy is that ‘God made me stupid because if he didn’t I would have conquered the world when I was two’OrLuffy’s crew attempts to help him learn.





	Who Needs to Know All That When I have Them?

**Author's Note:**

> Edit: May 31, 2019
> 
> Cross Posted on Tumblr at 
> 
> https://whirlybirdwrites.tumblr.com/post/185278042111/who-needs-to-know-all-that-when-i-have-them 
> 
> !

The definition of Monkey D. Luffy is that ‘God made me stupid because if he didn’t he knows I would have conquered the world when I was two’

Luffy went ahead and did that anyway, if at a later age, but he knows he is lacking. Words are hard to read on paper, better heard and sung with all the passion in the world than whispered in one’s mind. Numbers always add up to the wrong number (but who needs them, when the odds are always defeated by his small crew?) and maps lead him wrong every time (adventure is always more fun when the currents lead you to it anyway).

So yes – Luffy isn’t that smart, book smart at least - doesn’t even wish to be. His thoughts always bounce around and don’t always make sense, but he has people to help him, cover him when he cannot do something, as he will do for them, stretching till he breaks to shield them all. 

It doesn’t stop his crew from trying to help him learn.

Some days, Usopp will sit him down in the crow’s nest and ask him to walk through what he thinks in battle, what leads him to find the finishing blow of a poweful enemy. It usually ends with Usopp angrily banging his head on the railing, and Luffy giggling uncontrollably at Usopp’s reaction to his answers.

Other times, Sanji will drag him into the galley, and explain what he is doing as he measures out how much food is left, how he rations it out, the numbers and math that go into cooking. Luffy likes when he does it because Sanji always gives him a few extra pieces of meat or whatever else he is cooking by the end.

Franky will also try to teach him numbers, show him how he created the best ship in the world, how engineering works – and honestly? Out of all the things his crew tries to teach him, it makes the most sense to Luffy. Physics is physics and helps him fly through the air. Maybe he doesn’t know all the math that goes into it, but he knows which forms are faster, what forms hit harder, what angles to rocket himself at and where to hit.

(He also knows that he defies physics with his bouncing, sinking form and it scares and exhilarates him that the laws of the universe are not absolute for him – but then again, are any on the Grand Line?)

After an adventure when they are resting, calm, and full of spirit, Nami will bring him to her map room and lay her map out on the table asking “Where tooo captain?” and he will point to a place with a vivacious grin and off they sail. She will explain what the terms on a map mean mean, how many miles it will take to reach the next point in their adventure, and how to get anywhere. It’ll fly in one ear and out the other, but it’s touching that she tries.

His favorite time is when Robin drags him next to her, with Chopper on her other side and Brook playing in the background, and opens a book, traces the words along the page, and reads a tale of harrowing adventures of pirates long past. She sounds out the words, patient when Luffy asks their meaning, kind when he doesn’t get it, and joyous when he exclaims at all that’s happening in the story – good, or bad.

Its nice.

But there is one who never does this, and Luffy appreciates it even more.

Zoro never tells him stories (all his adventures are with Luffy anyway,) never patiently explains a map (Zoro always gets lost anyway so what’s the point?) and never shows him how to build a ship or add numbers to bake a cake (useless skills for the one-day world’s greatest swordsman).

Best of all, Zoro never has to ask what goes through Luffy’s mind within a fight – he’s with him every step of the way, without falter, never questioning and always by his Captain’s side. Zoro doesn’t have to ask, because he knows.

And that’s the best part.

So yeah, Luffy might be not be that bright, that book smart (if he was, he’d have conquered the world when he was still toddling around as a child), but he has a crew that is, each in their own way, and help him in his, and understand and accept all that he is. So what if words will never come easy when it’s time for them to be written down, or he always adds up the wrong numbers. So what if his thought process is inexplainable to everyone but him, so what if a map will never lead him to the treasure he seeks.

So what? 

Monkey D. Luffy has the best crew in the entire world, a crew who are experts at every single thing that Luffy isn’t, a crew who are the best and brightest in their own fields, whatever that may be – who could be lacking with them?

**Author's Note:**

> So... just a little introspective piece. It's my first foray into this fandom, so please tell me if the characterization is off - hopefully it'll be better in the future.
> 
> My favorite type of story are ones like One Piece, where it's basically a bunch of Chaotic Dumbasses BSing their way through life and succeeded - its /hilarious/! I especially love the group dynamic the Strawhat Pirates bring. If you look closely at the episodes there are just so many domestic moments and I assure you when if I get a Tumblr there will be a list going up of them. What is also interesting is how they operate, a fact repeated verbally when Chopper was first joining the crew - do your job the best you can do. It's as simple as that.
> 
> So Luffy doesn't need to be book smart - he just has to be the Captain. That doesn't mean the crew doesn't want him to learn, which is where this fic came from. 
> 
> (He can read actually - see the episodes with the Foxy Pirates - he reads the sign 'kitchen' while hunting down Foxy)  
> (Also he is smart - just not book smart.)
> 
> Anyway, sorry for the ramble I just love these fools so much? (And yes they are all fools even the supposed smart ones like Robin. ) 
> 
> If you spot any mistakes do not hesitate to tell me! I looked it over but I can never be too sure, and I am always looking for better ways to write!
> 
> Thank you for reading!  
> \- Whirly


End file.
